


The Meaning of Worthy

by whoami (davidbowie)



Series: Bangtan Meets the Gaang [5]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 19:53:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13302033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/davidbowie/pseuds/whoami
Summary: Jeongguk isn't just a brilliant Sun Warrior; he is determined to be the greatest Sun Warrior in history.





	The Meaning of Worthy

**Author's Note:**

> this is kind of angsty and idk why...jeongguk is in his emo phase here i guess

Jeongguk stared at his hands. 

How could it be that the Masters had declared the outsiders worthy? Jeongguk had been asking to meet with the Masters since he was twelve years old, and each time he was told he wasn't ready, that he was too young. The younger outsider, the Avatar, couldn't be more than fourteen, and he was worthy! Jeongguk knew the Dancing Dragon better than either of the clumsy outsiders, and sixty-three other ancient forms besides. Yet every time he put his name forward, his teacher denied him. 

"I'm so relieved," his mother said each time. "I don't want to lose you." He let her hold him close and stroke his hair, but inside he felt even more despair. Not even his own mother thought he was worthy.

He had been among the first to notice the intrusion of the outsiders and begin arming the traps in their ancient city. The two obviously didn't work well together and were quickly caught in the glue trap. Jeongguk had laughed with the other Warriors on patrol; that glue was used by parents to stop disobedient children from sneaking out at night. Jeongguk had known that the two outsiders would be summarily dealt with. Breaking into the sacred Solstice Chamber? Stealing the Sun Stone? They would be put to death, and if they were lucky it would be a quick one.

But instead, the short outsider was revealed to be the Avatar. The tall outsider was apparently the prince of the Fire Nation. Jeongguk had rolled his eyes; as though that title held any weight in this place.

They had come seeking the Sun Warriors in order to learn the true nature of firebending. Jeongguk knew several Sun Warriors who would like to know as well, and if the outsiders found it, would they please let the Sun Warriors know? The firebenders of the Sun Warrior people spent their lives striving to learn the nature of firebending, and most never found it. Those few who did went before the Masters, Ran and Shaw, to receive the ultimate knowledge of firebending, and were honored by the tribe with the title of 'Sifu'.

The youngest to ever achieve this honor was sixteen years old; their honored Chief Lin Fei, she who drove off the invaders during the Second Warlord Era of the Fire Islands and oversaw their withdrawal into secrecy, to always protect their culture and history.

Jeongguk knew, deep in his bones, that he could be the youngest to ever receive the wisdom of the Masters. He first firebent at four years old, the youngest of his generation, and had decided within the week to pursue the path of a Sun Warrior. The Sun Warriors were those blessed by Agni with firebending who dedicated their lives to upholding their ancient culture and protect their ancient lands.

His mother and father had been proud; they were farmers, who worked the land to feed their people. His mother had been blessed by Agni but had turned her gifts to the practice of revitalizing the soil that had been worked for thousands of years. Jeongguk was their only child, and though the path of a Sun Warrior was demanding, they supported his decision to pursue it.

Jeongguk had always excelled in every area of his studies; his teachers all called him a prodigy, and he passed quickly through his lessons, memorizing and mastering rite after rite, form after form, until all were known to him. He had been twelve years old then, and he proudly bowed to his Sifu and asked to be judged by the Masters.

Sifu Jin Hai paled dramatically. "Absolutely not. You are not yet ready, student, to face the Masters."

"I've learned everything that is taught at the Academy, Sifu," Jeongguk protested.

Sifu Jin Hai laughed softly and tweaked Jeongguk's nose as he straightened from his bow. "There is more to learn than just what we teach here, Jeongguk. This is where you learn the facts." Jeongguk looked at his Sifu blankly. Sifu Jin Hai ruffled his hair and asked, "Reading about how a mango tastes is different than tasting a mango, isn't it?"

Jeongguk let out a grudging, "Yes, Sifu," before his expression brightened again. "So, when I've been a Warrior for a while, I can see the Masters?"

His Sifu's smile dimmed. "You can see the Masters when you are ready, Jeongguk."

So Jeongguk had become a Sun Warrior, protector of the cultural heritage of their people. He led every ceremony the tribe would let him, he took on more patrol shifts than other other graduate of his class, and he kept reading the ancient texts of those who had met the Masters, seeking their wisdom. 

After a year, he knew he was ready. Then thirteen, he bowed to his teacher and asked to be judged by the Masters.

Sifu Jin Hai was already shaking his head before Jeongguk had even completed his bow. "Jeongguk, you've been a Sun Warrior for barely a year, yet you seek the judgment of the Masters?"

Jeongguk straightened from his bow, furrowing his brow. "You told me that what I learned from books wasn't enough, that I had to really experience the things I read about. I did that, Sifu. I've done more missions and ceremonies and rites than any other Sun Warrior this year."

Sifu Jin Hai raised his eyebrows. "And what did you learn, Jeongguk?"

"I learned how to apply everything I was taught in my lessons, Sifu."

His teacher shook his head. "You are not yet ready to meet the Masters, student."

No matter how many ceremonies he led or how many forms he mastered, his teacher's answer was always the same. When Jeongguk was fourteen, after rejecting his request for the fifth time, Sifu Jin Hai had asked, "Why do you ask so often, Jeongguk? You're still a boy, and there are many great Sun Warriors much older than you who have yet to meet the Masters."

Jeongguk felt a flush creeping up his neck, but stood proudly, looking his teacher in the eye. "I want to be the youngest Sun Warrior to pass the Masters' judgment, Sifu Jin Hai."

Sifu Jin Hai reached out and tweaked Jeongguk's nose with a smile. "Just wanting something doesn't make it so, Jeongguk. You will or you won't be the youngest Sifu. You can only do your duties diligently and meditate earnestly on the nature of fire."

"I already do that," Jeongguk muttered.

"Then you'll go before the Masters as soon as is possible, won't you?"

"But when is that, Sifu?" Jeongguk said in what may be (incorrectly) described as a whine.

His Sifu smiled and tapped his nose. "When you're ready."

Jeongguk was fifteen now; his birthday was in only 2 months and he was running out of time. He had been rejected by his Sifu again three weeks ago, and now two outsiders had been found worthy by the Masters?

Jeongguk stared at his hands.

He heard the door to his room open and shut softly. He looked up at his teacher.

"What is it about me that's unworthy, Sifu? When those outsiders," he sneered the word, "who know nothing about firebending, are worthy to the Masters, what makes me so unworthy?"

Sifu Jin Hai sat down beside Jeongguk on his straw sleeping mat and rested a heavy hand on his shoulder. "The outsiders knew nothing of our ways, or of the true nature of firebending."

"Exactly!"

His Sifu fixed him with a steady look. "But they wanted to know, Jeongguk. They wanted to learn a way besides hatred and anger - that was worth more than their own lives, to learn the true way of firebending. Is that not worthy? To care more about truth than your own life?"

Jeongguk clenched his jaw before biting out, "But they didn't even know the rites or anything, Sifu, how can an ignorant person like that-"

His teacher stood up suddenly, looking coldly at Jeongguk. Jeongguk curled in on himself; he had never seen his Sifu looking anything less than genial, and he had certainly never looked at Jeongguk with anything less than fondness. "A pure desire for truth over hatred is worth far more than a selfish desire for success and recognition, boy. Until you recognize that, you will never be worthy." Sifu Jin Hai left the room, leaving a ringing silence behind.

Jeongguk stared at his hands, tears sliding unnoticed down his face.

\--

"Sifu." 

Jeongguk swallowed as Sifu Jin Hai looked up from his text and stared at him impassively.

"Yes, student?"

Jeongguk knelt before his teacher and pressed his forehead to his hands. "I beg your forgiveness for my careless words yesterday. It was not my place to question your teaching, or the wisdom of the Masters, and I will work harder in the future to be worthy of the teachings of our ancestors." He kept his eyes squeezed shut, waiting for his Sifu's response.

"Get off the floor, Jeongguk," Sifu Jin Hai said.

Jeongguk scrambled to his feet. His Sifu was smiling tiredly at him. "Sifu, I know now that I'm not worthy. I want- I want to go on a spirit quest. I- If I'm not the best, then...I don't really know who I am." Jeongguk looked away, ignoring his watering eyes.

His Sifu's hand was warm on his shoulder. "I think that's a wonderful idea, Jeongguk. I can't wait to hear what you discover." He paused consideringly. "You know, Jeongguk, spirit quests have been known to last as long as two years."

Jeongguk squared his jaw and nodded firmly. "I know, Sifu."

Sifu Jin Hai smiled widely and tweaked Jeongguk's nose. "Well then, you'd better get started as soon as possible, hadn't you?"

Jeongguk smiled hesitantly. "I'm already packed. I did everything already, I just needed to ask you for your guidance."

His teacher smiled back warmly. "Which way did the smoke blow?"

"Southeast."

"To the cliffs?" Jeongguk nodded. "I'll be waiting to welcome you after you find your answers, Jeongguk."

Jeongguk stepped towards the door, but paused just before reaching it. He turned around and bowed deeply. "Thank you for everything you've taught me, Sifu." 

His teacher smiled and returned the bow. "And thank you for everything you have taught me, student."

Jeongguk smiled and left, picking up the pack he had left outside of his Sifu's home. He looked to the southeast, to the great rocky cliffs that formed the edge of their island.

He shouldered his pack and began walking.


End file.
